– it's in YOUR hands

The Art of Doing

I think we all know that it is very easy to want something, but not always quite as easy to get that something done. There are plenty of things to distract us and keep us occupied: things we need to do, and things we shouldn’t be doing but do anyway (procrastination, anyone?). In a world where everything is fast-paced and expected to be so, we often fall prey to all kinds of distractions, wanting to do everything at once.

So how do we really get the important things done? How do we make our dreams happen? How do we go from wanting to doing?

Well, prepare your patience and your mind, because it’s going to be tested and expanded…

Do I really want it?

Going from wanting to doing takes practice, and it takes a good routine, too. And we all know that creating a new routine takes time, patience and perseverance. And lots of integrity.

So first of all you need to make sure that you actually, really, truly want what you say or think you want. Because otherwise you will keep finding excuses to not get it done. That’s just how we work – why waste time on something we deep down don’t actually want? And that’s fair enough, really. I don’t like wasting my time either, and only if I keep myself from doing something do I realize that I probably don’t really want it.

That’s when it’s time to move on and figure out what you actually want. But when you have figured that something out and you want it so badly that you cannot see yourself doing anything else but that, you’ll know it’s time. It’s time to get going and get doing!

Mind over Mattress

So new routine time!

It’s said that most successful people wake up early. This is because you tend to get more things done (as you’re facing less distractions) before everyone else is up and awake. You can also get so much more done while your brain is still nice and fresh from a good night’s sleep.

So my suggestion is that you start your new routine by waking up earlier. I’ve tested this, and to me it really works (and I used to be a bit of a night owl). But, like I said, step by step! Don’t get too excited and set your alarm to 5am straight away if you normally get up at 7am. Trust me when I say, that’s never going to work.
What you want to do is start off with, say, 30 minutes earlier. Once you get used to this slightly earlier routine (usually a few weeks in), you go a further 30 minutes earlier. That’s how I went from waking up at around 7.30-8, to waking up at 5.30 (and I’m going for 5am, eventually). At a slow pace, I’m waking up earlier and earlier, and now I feel no different waking up at 5.30am – in fact, believe it or not, I usually feel better waking up that early!

Keep in mind that as you start your day earlier, you might also need to adjust what time you go to bed at night. You know yourself best, and we all need different amounts of sleep, so adjust according to your own body.

If you’re a night owl (which about half of you probably are), it might work too to stay up late and wake up later – if you have a work schedule that allows for it, that is. Experiment! This is the fun part! Whatever works for you to create a great new routine.

Structure is your friend

Next up, I suggest that you set aside a specific time every day where you do this something that you want to get done. So you’ve started to wake up 30 minutes earlier? Awesome! Now, make good use of that time. Leave your phone on the bedside table (or wherever you keep it at night), make a hot or cold beverage of your choice, don’t turn the internet on (unless you really need it for whatever you are about to embark upon) or at least don’t start up those social media apps. Just sit down at your desk, or head out to the garage, or wherever you go to get things done, and spend 30 minutes focusing on your new project. 30 minutes every day turns out to be quite a lot after a while, you know!

Take a break

Something important to remember in all of this, is to still allow yourself some time off. Set aside one day of the week, or at least a few hours of that day, where you rest. Resting is as important as getting things done, to be able to keep your good mood and spirit up. Your body and brain needs to relax from time to time, in order to refuel and to be able to fully function when you need it to. Be kind to your body and mind, and you’ll see that everything will start working in perfect harmony for you.

Now, share in the comments! What do you want to get done? And do you have any other great tips on how to do it? Let us know! 🙂